Where would you live in London if you…

[Twittwhoo]

…had soon-to-be-secondary aged kids (and planned on state schools)

…liked feeling ‘in London’ (ie not suburbia)

…valued the usual stuff - access to green space, independent shops and businesses, villagey neighbourhood-y vibes, etc etc

…were open-minded to north and south

Muswell Hill

Is Muswell Hill too suburban?

Just to clarify- this is my suggestion, I wasn't criticising the post above mine.

Wimbledon?

I think we need to know what you consider Suburbia. What zone?

Was going to say the same. Wimbledon is lovely.

Muswell Hill, Highgate or crouch end

Wimbledon or Chiswick

Ooh good question….I think zone 1-3, ideally (as in, too suburban beyond. Give or take!)

If the budget allowed, the Wandsworth common side of between the commons - northcote road area

Budget is a crucial factor here!

Assuming you want a 3-4 bedroom house...

If budget is 700k or less I might consider looking outside London
700-900 South East London, like Crystal Palace / Honor Oak / Brockley
1m - 1.3m similar areas plus Balham, Tooting, Earlsfield
1.5m+ Wandsworth / Clapham Common

I'm skewing south as that's what I know!

Herne Hill.

Agree with Herne Hill (or Dulwich)

As for state schools, are you open to faith schools? If not you will have to rule out various nice parts of the capital (Wimbledon is one of those!)

Most good non-religious state schools in London are in the outer boroughs ie zones 5-6.

I'm in a similar position. Thinking Tufnell Park / Dartmouth Park but would need to be a flat as it's mega £££ up there!

Either Herne hill or Muswell hill...transport better in Herne Hill but green spaces in Muswell hill, fab schools in both.

If money were no object and I had a girl, Parsons Green.

West Norwood

Winstanley Estate, Battersea. Covenient location for clapham Junction, and the Falcon Road Labour club sells cheap booze. What's not to like???

I’d find the school then look for the house TBH! Do you have boys or girls? Would you be prepared to jump through hoops for religious schools? What about the 11plus? If you’re looking for pure state schools without entrance exam there really are quite limited options. Those which occur to me are Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College (New Cross, not exactly leafy), Graveney (Tooting ditto plus lots of people aren’t fans of the school), Thomas Tallis (Greenwich), a few in the Southfields/ Wimbledon area, like Wimbledon college (boys, catholic), St Cecelia’s, Ashcroft (again though a very specific ethos). I think there are also decent options a bit further out like Teddington. Not sure about north London. There are also a few in Dulwich I think. But many of these areas have their issues- and some are very very expensive if you want to be within the minute catchment area. Basically a London area with excellent inclusive state schools, access to green space, villagey feel but not surburban is the holy grail!

Hammersmith/Chiswick/Acton/Ealing? Not sure of zones but would fit the bill?

Surely Camden fits the bill? Achland Burghley, haverstock, Parliament Hill / William Ellis, CSG, and the new academy where Mount Carmel was... to name a few.

Villagey and greener than anywhere really!

i’d find the schools you want and then refine areas.

for example in some areas there are excellent girls schools, but this means the “mixed” schools are predominantly boys as they have all the girls creamed off, and usually some of the top boys who go private or into grammar in another borough. So great if you have girls or can afford private, not so much if you have boys.

if your kids are grammar material you may want to look at e.g south london/Kent borders.

huge generalisation obv but my experience of (south) London schools was state is fab if you have girls, private is great if you have boys.

What’s the budget? Recommendations for a budget of £500k will be very different to those for £1million.